Tears of a Prospector
Available on Amazon.com
When I make Prospector cry, it feels like kicking a puppy. He’s such a kind and dear man, he rarely has a bad word for anyone. Prospector is reliably big-hearted and takes his mission as guardian of Solstice very seriously. He has his faults, of course. He isn’t perfect, but he is the perfect last Prospector.
Yesterday, out of the blue, I knew it was time to get back to writing Flood in the Desert, the fourth book in the Song of Solstice series. I tried going back to it a couple of months ago, wrote a couple chapters and then found myself wanting to go no further.
I’d reached a pivotal chapter involving the death of a minor character. Killing a character is hard enough on its own, but killing someone Prospector loves is a thousand times harder. Our boy finds himself in a world of hurt in book four, it’s a time of great upheaval in Solstice. Bad news is everywhere, secrets come to light and families get ripped apart, no one gets out unharmed.
After all the real life death and upheaval, I couldn’t bring myself to write that chapter. Lately, I haven’t even been thinking about the series much. Lots of projects have consumed my attention, I set myself to those projects and accomplished a lot.
So it was rather a big surprise yesterday when my little writing voice spoke up and told me it was time. I tried arguing, but the writer voice was adamant. I was afraid of starting and not being able to finish, afraid that I would chicken out and not give the chapter the emotional heft it deserved.
It took me all damned day, almost eight hours. And there were tears, both literal and literary. But we got through it, Prospector and I, we made a pact to see it through together.
It’s a gigantic relief, being done with that chapter, I’m very proud of myself. There’s more bad news to come, Prospector will suffer more, I’m sorry to say. But he’s a strong man and I owe it to him to stay strong on my end.
If you don’t hear from me much in the coming weeks, look for me in Solstice. We’ll keep the cats warm for you.
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